Key takeaways
- Banks require financial statements, formation documents as well as your personal credit score and bank statements to apply for a business loan
- Gather your loan business loan documents before filling out the application to speed up the process
- Applying for SBA loans will require additional SBA forms
Bank business loans offer low interest rates and flexible terms, making them attractive to small businesses looking for a low-cost business loan. However, banks require extensive documentation to apply for the loan because they want to see that you have a strong ability to repay the loan.
You may need to provide personal and business bank statements, tax returns, credit history and more to show your creditworthiness. Despite the involved process, you may find the bank’s terms and rates well worth the effort, especially if you have a well-established business with good or excellent credit.
Familiarize yourself with your lender’s business loan requirements and what documentation is needed to ensure no delays with your application.
Business loan documents about yourself
The lender will request personal information to see how you manage your personal finances. Your personal financial management shows the lender how well you might manage a business loan. Information and documents needed for a business loan:
- Personal identification verifying your name, personal address, date of birth and Social Security number
- Banking statements
- Personal tax returns (may or may not be required, but helpful to have on hand)
- Your resume to show your experience in your industry
Business loan documents about your business
As a rule of thumb, traditional bank lenders may require more business loan documents than competing online lenders. Documentation about your business that you may need for a bank business loan:
Founding and legal documents
- Articles of incorporation
- An operating agreement (if your business is an LLC)
- Information about your business name and registration
- Ownership structure
- Franchise information, if this applies
- License and/or permit documents, if applicable
- Business plan to show how you plan to make your business profitable
Business financials
Bankrate insight
Other documents needed for a bank business loan
You may need these additional documents when applying for your bank business loan:
- Information about assets: If you’re going with a secured loan, you’ll also need to provide collateral information on the assets you’re using to secure the loan. These assets may include equipment, technology, vehicles, real estate and bank accounts. You may need to include an appraisal to prove the asset’s worth.
- Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) lien: Some lenders require a UCC lien filing to formalize their right to your collateral if you default. The lender should generate this as a part of your loan’s closing documents, so you are not responsible for creating it.
Bankrate insight
Business loans from banks offer high loan amounts, low interest rates and longer repayment terms. Some lenders to consider are:
Documents for an SBA loan from a bank
Certain SBA loans will require additional business loan documents or forms to apply. You can apply for these loans through traditional banks, though they are funded differently from conventional business loans. To apply, you may need:
- A summary of the business history and its challenges
- Information about how an SBA loan will help the business
- Business lease information, if this applies
- SBA forms: You may need to include SBA-specific forms like Form 413 and Form 1919.
- Business acquisition: If you plan to use your 7(a) loan or another type of SBA loan to buy another business, you will need to include additional documentation about that business, its assets and its history.
Bottom line
Banks are known for requiring more documentation when applying for a business loan than other lenders. This documentation is important because it shows the lender your financial track record and ability to repay the loan. You can ask the lender for a thorough list of documents it requires before you submit your application. Having as much information on hand as possible can keep the application process running smoothly.
